1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to liquid droplet--forming means and, more particularly, to an improved finger-controlled nebulizer.
2. Prior Art
Various types of nebulizers have been provided to break up liquid into fine droplet form for dispensing for medical purposes. Most of the earlier types of nebulizers were of the fly spray configuration, with a stream of liquid intersecting a stream of gas at about a right angle. More recently, more effective nebulizers have employed coaxial liquid and gas conduits terminating in mixing chambers. Some have employed some form of target against which the gas-liquid mixture can be directed to break up the droplets into a desired small size. However, most such nebulizers have been found to be complicated, expensive, difficult to clean and operate and otherwise unsatisfactory. Frequently, the medication dispensed in droplet form from the nebulizer is expensive and all of the medication must be used to provide the proper dosage to the patient for inhalation purposes. For one reason or another, it is frequently necessary to temporarily suspend operation of the nebulizer. This usually results in a significant loss of medication in the form of nebulized droplets exiting the nebulizer but not into the patient. In many instances, it is also difficult for the patient to control the rate of delivery of the nebulized medication and to shut the nebulizer off.
Although one nebulizer has been devised to allow the patient to regulate the flow of nebulized liquid from the nebulizer by closing or opening a side port near the main exit port or keeping it partially open or closed by finger control, unfortunately this device permits the loss of nebulized liquid from the side port.
Accordingly, there remains a need for a simple, inexpensive, durable efficient nebulizer which can be easily filled, cleaned and re-used. The nebulizer should include means which will permit the flow rate of nebulized material from the exit port to be easily controlled by the patient utilizing the nebulizer. This control means should not result in any substantial loss of medication either in nebulized or unnebulized form from the nebulizer.